Kick Each Other

Posepa’a is a tradition in the form of a kicking attraction carried out between the Liya Village People of South Wangi-wangi District, Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. Posepa,a in the Liya Togo language is interpreted as “kick each other” with the root word ‘Sepa’ which means kick. The addition of the prefix ‘po’ and the suffix ‘a’ in the word Posepa’a means “to do”. This tradition is carried out every time the month of Ramadan enters as a physical and mental exercise, and trains martial arts by competing in martial arts in the form of kicking movements when the stomach feels hungry due to fasting, which peaks on the 15th day of Fasting (Qunut) & the 27th day of Fasting (Qadiri) and peaks on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha after the Eid prayer. This event is also used as a place to gather (migrants) and ask for forgiveness from each other. In its implementation, this attraction is divided into 2 Liya Community Groups, namely Amai favo, the term for the community domiciled in the eastern area of ​​the field where Posepa’a is held, with Amai foru, the term for the community domiciled in the western area of ​​the field. The Posepa’a tradition is carried out in pairs by adult men and children involving a fight between 1 pair vs 1 pair or 1 pair vs many pairs with rules that are unwritten and must not be violated. This Posepa’a tradition is thought to have been spread by the guards and/or loyal followers of the Panjonga who had settled in the Liya Palace after the Panjonga became King of Liya around 1258-1296 and moved to Buton. In ancient times, this Posepa’a was a selection event for prospective soldiers of Liya Fortress before they were deployed to the battlefield.